The Poultry Keeper

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1613 Location: Clawddnewydd

Can anyone tell me how long call duck eggs need to be incubated for? Are they the same as say runners or are they less or more time? Confused

My incubation book says for ornamentals (are they ornamentals?) anywhere between 22 and 30 days. That gives me huge scope for messing up... Rolling Eyes

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1331 Location: Manchester

Most ducks are 28 but calls can hatch at 26

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1392 Location: Carmarthenshire

I love the call ducks (piccies please), and the runners, but OH won't let me have ducks Crying or Very sad

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1613 Location: Clawddnewydd

Thanks kitsune, I'll make a note Rolling Eyes

Welsh Duck · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 11:20 am Post subject:

I missed a thread on call ducks!!!! Wink

As said before 26-28 days.

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1613 Location: Clawddnewydd

I was wondering where you were!! Wink

Thanks WD xx

Welsh Duck · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 11:25 am Post subject:

A tip for call ducks- if they are eggs from good quality birds, sometimes they need a little help with hatching as their beaks and neck are so short to pip all the way around. They are also very hard to hatch in an incubator, I let the mother call incubate them and put them in a hatcher just before they are due to hatch.

Good luck BSB

Regards
Tony

Welsh Duck · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 11:26 am Post subject:

By the way, I've got apricot, blue fawn, whites and blue bibbed. The apricots are hatching well this year, but just because I want to hatch whites the little sods are determined not to hatch Rolling Eyes

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2128 Location: North Cornwall

I never had a lot of luck hatching calls in the bator. The best i ever did was 2 out of 12. They are the devil to get out, sometimes they couldn't even get the pip started. But left in a nest with mum and I'd have hatches of 100%. One little apricot hatched 18 Shocked

I had 120 at one point, and the noise was embarrassing Laughing

But i must add, the ducklings are just the most beautiful things you'll ever see Very Happy

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1613 Location: Clawddnewydd

Great, looks like I'll be heading for my second incubation disaster then Rolling Eyes

I came in earlier this evening to find the Lakenvelders that were pipping in the hatcher almost cold Sad

Somehow, the thermostat had been moved and the temp had fallen way down so out of 11 pipping eggs, I have 1 live chick, 3 dead that had good size holes in their eggs and were on their way into the big wide world and the rest varied from a crack to nowt Sad

. I've candled them just now and it looks like they are all dead. I cant see any movement in the eggs. How depressing Sad

The calls were freebies so if I do manage by some miracle to get some out, I'll be delighted Very Happy

WD you can post me a few blue fawns up if you wouldnt mind Wink

CP · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 2:30 am Post subject:

That's so sad BB. Crying or Very sad

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1331 Location: Manchester

BB - I'd keep the hatcher on, I've heard of chicks that were so near dead they looked it, no sign of breathing etc. come round with heat and TLC.

You've got nothing to loose.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2128 Location: North Cornwall

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1613 Location: Clawddnewydd

I have left them in there, I've 2 more turkey eggs in now so it can do no harm to leave them where they are.....unless they explode Shocked